Bruce Arians hopes Indianapolis Colts ill coach Chuck Pagano returns next month – NFL News
The Indianapolis Colts are very much clear about leaving the head coaching responsibility to Chuck Pagano once he returns after full recovery from Leukaemia he suffered nearly a month ago.
Interim coach Bruce Arians said he will definitely surrender the role for Pagano, who, he expressed confidence, should be back sometime near closing of the current season. He will still be in charge of the coaching affairs if returns after the regular season.
"If he comes back, he'll be the head coach," said Bruce Arians, who has dedicated his hard work and victories of Colts to the ill coach. The return of Pagano sometime next month is a possibility given his prognosis is steadily moving towards direction of
recovery and fitness.
Arians’ anticipation of Pagano’s recovery is well within in line with hopes of owner Jim Irsay, who said Pagano can coach the team even from coaching box after he returns from the illness fully recovered.
The interim coach in fact has hoped that the fulltime coach should be able to perform the coaching role while being on the sideline and there is not a shroud of doubt that he will recover and gain previous level of fitness and form.
Pagano was diagnosed with cancer a month ago. He left the coaching responsibilities to Arians and got himself hospitalised for treatment. His initial couple phases of chemotherapy have been very successful and doctors see him progressing towards full recovery.
While being under the treatment, Pagano has appeared in coaching boxes for a couple times to throw his support behind the team. He even once showed up at practice to encourage the players in their preparations.
The players and officials have also thrown their support behind Pagano and backed him for full recovery and rehab. As a matter of fact, the entire Colts’ squad including QB Andrew Luck shaved their heads in support of recovery of the coach. They have also
raised about $10K to donate to a charity for research on Leukaemia.
The Colts in the meantime have done remarkably well on the field, winning some consecutive games to raise their prospect to make the playoffs this season.
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